For years, reliever Jeremy Jeffress threw mostly fastballs and curveballs, with an emphasis on the former. At times, he was highly successful with that two-pitch mix.

In 47 appearances with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2016, pitching at the back of the bullpen, Jeffress compiled a 2.22 ERA and converted 27 of 28 save opportunities. That stretch of excellence ended when he was packaged with catcher Jonathan Lucroy in a trade to Texas on Aug. 1 for three highly regarded minor-league prospects.

Jeffress took an unexpected parting gift with him, courtesy of teammate Junior Guerra – the grip on a split-finger fastball. That pitch was the primary reason that Guerra went 9-3 with a 2.81 ERA in 20 starts for the Brewers that season, and Jeffress was looking for something to serve as a change of pace to his fastball.

“I asked him how he gripped it,” Jeffress said of the pitch in which you grip the ball with index and middle fingers wide apart. “He showed me and I just started practicing it. I know a lot of pitchers stopped using it because of injuries. But it’s the way you train yourself and your body. You have to have a strong forearm.”

Jeffress wasn’t confident enough in the pitch to use it regularly in Texas. When he struggled through 39 appearances (5.31 ERA) with the Rangers in 2017, they had no qualms about dealing him back to the Brewers before the July 31 trade deadline.

Encouraged to use the splitter as a changeup more upon his return, Jeffress posted a 4-0 record and 3.65 ERA in 22 appearances with Milwaukee. He then re-signed with the Brewers on a non-guaranteed deal, preferring to stay where he was comfortable.

“I didn’t use (the splitter) as much with Texas but I probably should have,” Jeffress said. “A split-finger is a pitch to get to. I’m going to try to throw it out of the strike zone every time.

“In Texas, I couldn’t get to my split-finger. I was behind in the count, was getting ambushed on my fastball. It’s how you get to pitches that makes them effective.”

This season, Jeffress has used the split changeup, which he throws approximately five miles per hour slower than his fastball, far more often, using it nearly 22% of the time. Just two years ago, when he had great success as the Brewers’ closer, Jeffress threw changeups only 3.4% of the time.

Jeffress, 30, throws his curveball at the same rate, about 20%, as in the past. But his fastball usage is down to less than 60%, by far the lowest of his career. As recently as two years ago, he threw his fastball 76% of the time, making it far easier for hitters to guess what was coming.

Much has been made of how much better Jeffress has fared with the Brewers than with the other clubs for which he has played – Kansas City, Toronto and Texas – and the numbers are undeniable. In 198 appearances with Milwaukee, he has posted a 2.36 ERA and 1.248 WHIP. With those other clubs, he compiled a 4.76 ERA and 1.702 WHIP.

But Jeffress is an even better pitcher now. With a third weapon in his split changeup, which bottoms out in front of the plate, he has been dominant in 18 appearances, going 2-0 with a 0.48 ERA and 0.750 WHIP. In 18 2/3 innings, Jeffress has allowed only nine hits and five walks while logging 14 strikeouts and holding opponents to a .148 batting average. He has pitched scoreless ball over his last 14 outings.

“My mind-set has taken me to another level,” Jeffress said. “It’s just a different way I attack hitters. You want to have as many weapons as possible. I’d just say I’m more mature and confident in the stuff I throw. You can say better but I think I’m more mature.”

Manager Craig Counsell has used Jeffress in a wide variety of situations. At times, he has been the sixth-inning “closer,” coming on to get starters out of jams. With Corey Knebel on the DL with a hamstring injury, Jeffress also has finished four games, recording two saves in the process.

“He has pitched in pretty important spots all year,” Counsell said. “When (Jeffress) came back last year, Corey was cemented in what he was doing. We acquired Anthony (Swarzak) near the end of the year, and he was cemented into his (set-up) role. And Josh (Hader) was around. We had some pretty good relievers pitching in other spots.

“J.J. is getting outs. He got outs last year for us. And they’re going to continue to be important outs.”

Jeffress should wear a Saint Jude medal when he pitches because his specialty has been succeeding in seemingly lost causes. In an April 22 game against Miami at Miller Park, he took over for Guerra, the starter, in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and no outs. He escaped unscathed with two strikeouts and a pop-up, paving the way for a 4-2 victory.

On May 1 in Cincinnati, Jeffress entered in the eighth inning with runners on the corners, one out and the Brewers holding a 7-6 lead. The first batter he faced was one of the best in the game, Joey Votto, who specializes in making contact. Jeffress struck him out looking and went the rest of the way, saving the one-run victory.

“He has made huge pitches in tough situations,” Counsell said. “His biggest improvement is he is throwing more strikes. He’s done a better job of that this year.

“If you’re coming into the situations he has come into, that’s the most important thing, to throw strikes. There are going to be balls that get through holes.

“I think his breaking ball has improved, also. It has morphed shapes at times but right now it’s in a really good place. That third pitch (the split change) is a big weapon for a relief pitcher. That’s a lot to handle for hitters with a pitcher with that velocity.”

Jeffress has retired the first hitter faced 13 out of 18 times, a key to escaping jams. He has allowed only two of 14 inherited runners to score, which doesn’t show up in his pitching line but has spared ERA damage for fellow pitchers.

“We’re all doing it for each other,” Jeffress said. “We’re teammates. We’re all part of this. It helps keep everybody’s confidence up.

“I thank ‘Couns’ every time he calls my name. It doesn’t matter when, what inning or situation. I just want to pitch. Call my name and I’m ready. I’m not cocky or anything. I’m just feeding off everybody else and going out there and having fun.”